Albert Kesselring (30 Nov. 1885 - 16 Jul. 1960)
Kesselring was General der Flieger and commander of Luftflotte 1, based in Berlin, when Germany invaded Poland. The Luftlotte 1 supported von Bock’s Army Group North, working closely with him. He was shot down himself by the Polish Air Force, the first of five times he would be shot down in the war. He would become leader of Luftlotte 2 in 1940.
In this role Kesselring supported von Bock again in the invasions of the Netherlands, in which he ordered the bombing of Rotterdam. He would later involve his forces with the invasion of France and the attacks on retreating Allied troops at Dunkirk; however his fighters were unable to contend with the weather and the RAF. In July he was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall.
The Luftlotte 2 was key in the bombing of southern England and the Battle of Britain. Later he was transferred to fight the Soviet Union. In a third occasion, von Bock’s ground forces would be assisted by Kesselring’s air force. Swiftly the Soviet planes were destroyed and they gained supremacy over the air. He would also attack Moscow, though this would not be successful due to the heavy anti-air defences there.
He became Commander in Chief South in November 1941, leading forces in the Mediterranean and North Africa. He was mostly successful in rearranging the logistical operations and thereby ensuring that Rommel’s Afrika Korps would receive as much supply as possible. He would also neutralise Malta, removing an important stepping stone for British forces. He further worked with Rommel to defeat Allied troops, though there were several arguments between the two men.
Kesselring’s luck would soon run out, as the Allied forces captured all of North Africa with more than a quarter of a million Axis POWs taken. He was aware of an Allied invasion of Sicily and knew it to be more than likely to succeed, but planned to repulse the invasion for as long as possible. He was a brilliant coordinator who managed to successfully retreat several armies from Sicily to the Italian mainland.
As Italy buckled from the war, eventually withdrawing in September 1943, Kesselring secured Rome and attempted to capture the Italian Chiefs of Staff though this failed. He would continue to act as commander, launching several counterattacks and stubbornly delaying the Allied advancement. In October 1944, Kesselring was in a car accident, suffering from injuries that kept him from duties until January 1945.
As leader of Italian-German forces in Italy, Kesselring also tried his hardest to keep safe as many national treasures of Italy as possible from war damage, including cities, buildings and other artworks or historical assets. Overall, he succeeded in keeping many treasures safe. Upon his return to command he took over operations on the Western front in March 1945, however the Allied forces were pummelling their way through. He surrendered on 9th May in Austria after being made Commander in Chief of Southern Germany by Dönitz.
For more information on Albert Kesselring:
(German) Kesselring, Albert. Gedanken zum Zweiten Weltkrieg (Bonn: Athenäum-Verlag), 1955.
Kesselring, Albert. A Soldier’s Record (London: Greenwood Press), 1970.
Macksey, Kenneth. Kesselring: The Making of the Luftwaffe (Batsford: David McKay Publications), 1978.
In this role Kesselring supported von Bock again in the invasions of the Netherlands, in which he ordered the bombing of Rotterdam. He would later involve his forces with the invasion of France and the attacks on retreating Allied troops at Dunkirk; however his fighters were unable to contend with the weather and the RAF. In July he was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall.
The Luftlotte 2 was key in the bombing of southern England and the Battle of Britain. Later he was transferred to fight the Soviet Union. In a third occasion, von Bock’s ground forces would be assisted by Kesselring’s air force. Swiftly the Soviet planes were destroyed and they gained supremacy over the air. He would also attack Moscow, though this would not be successful due to the heavy anti-air defences there.
He became Commander in Chief South in November 1941, leading forces in the Mediterranean and North Africa. He was mostly successful in rearranging the logistical operations and thereby ensuring that Rommel’s Afrika Korps would receive as much supply as possible. He would also neutralise Malta, removing an important stepping stone for British forces. He further worked with Rommel to defeat Allied troops, though there were several arguments between the two men.
Kesselring’s luck would soon run out, as the Allied forces captured all of North Africa with more than a quarter of a million Axis POWs taken. He was aware of an Allied invasion of Sicily and knew it to be more than likely to succeed, but planned to repulse the invasion for as long as possible. He was a brilliant coordinator who managed to successfully retreat several armies from Sicily to the Italian mainland.
As Italy buckled from the war, eventually withdrawing in September 1943, Kesselring secured Rome and attempted to capture the Italian Chiefs of Staff though this failed. He would continue to act as commander, launching several counterattacks and stubbornly delaying the Allied advancement. In October 1944, Kesselring was in a car accident, suffering from injuries that kept him from duties until January 1945.
As leader of Italian-German forces in Italy, Kesselring also tried his hardest to keep safe as many national treasures of Italy as possible from war damage, including cities, buildings and other artworks or historical assets. Overall, he succeeded in keeping many treasures safe. Upon his return to command he took over operations on the Western front in March 1945, however the Allied forces were pummelling their way through. He surrendered on 9th May in Austria after being made Commander in Chief of Southern Germany by Dönitz.
For more information on Albert Kesselring:
(German) Kesselring, Albert. Gedanken zum Zweiten Weltkrieg (Bonn: Athenäum-Verlag), 1955.
Kesselring, Albert. A Soldier’s Record (London: Greenwood Press), 1970.
Macksey, Kenneth. Kesselring: The Making of the Luftwaffe (Batsford: David McKay Publications), 1978.